Curtain guard



P. R. VASS CURTAIN GUARD Nov; 4, 1941.

Filed June 6, 1940 VM //r ra/P/Yt Ya.

INVENTOR 1' 1??? V455,

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES FATE-N T F FIEE' CURTAIN P. Ray Vass, Indianapolis, Ind- Applicationjnnefi, 1940, Serial No. 339,082

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a device adapted to be mounted on a window to protect the curtains or the shade on such window when it is open from. blowing out the window or against an associated screen.

It is the object of my invention to provide an inexpensive, easily mounted, decorative device which will effectively guard the curtains or shade from blowing out an open window or against its associated screen, and to make that device adapted for use on windows of widely different sizes.

In accomplishing these objects, I provide a pair of end pieces suitable to be mounted either on the face or the edgeof the side trim of a'window, with a plurality of spaced elastic strands extending from one end-piece to the other, and with a vertical divider carried by those strands at the middle of the window", to divide and interconnect the strands and to assist in keeping the. curtains in proper position. The end pieces and the divider may be of any desired color and suitably decorated, and the elastic strands are desirably made of an elastic material known commercially as dressmakers round elastic, and which consists of a core of rubber and a cover of silk, rayon, or cotton.

Theaccompanying drawing illustrates my invention. In such drawing Fig; 1 is a front elevation of a window on which one of my curtain guards is mounted; Fig. 2 is a fragmental horizontal section of such window and the wall in which it is mounted, showing how my device may be mounted by securing its end pieces to the outer edge of the window side-trim; Fig. 3 shows a modified form of my curtain guard in a form especially adapted to be mounted on the face of the window side trim and with the center one of the three stretches of elastic adapted to be released to permit adjustment of the device for larger window sizes; Fig. 4 is a view showing certain details of the device of Figs. 1 and 2, on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

My curtain guard is adapted to be mounted on any standard window, and by way of illustration I have shown a window casing ID with double hung sash i l and I2 and with side trim members l3 and M, In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

my window guard includes a pair of end pieces the reception of a tack or. push-pin I 1' by which the'end piece may be fastened to the side trim l3 or [4 of the window. This form of endpiece is"especially adapted for mounting on the outer edges of the side trim 13' or M, and=each end piece is of awidth suflicient to position the. holes l8 at or in front of the front: outer. corner of the side trim. Stretches l9 of'elasticextend'between each set of corresponding holes in the two end pieces, so that the several stretches of elastic extend horizontally in spaced parallel relationship. The several stretchesof elastic I9 maybe formed of a single length of' elastic or maybe-separate pieces, but in the :form' ofFigs, 1

and 2 I prefer to use three separate pieces of elastic, and to fasten them in pl'ace'by'knotting their ends, and 'I' provide a :recess: at the .outer end of each hole I 8 for the reception of such knots.

With this structure, the end pieces are adapted for use as shown inFigs.-1 and-2 mounted on the outer edges of the side trim l3 and 14', but maybe mounted on the faces of the side trim by placing the end pieces l5 and I6 against such trim faces with the knots behind the end pieces, and holding the end pieces in place by insertion of tacks or push pins ll through the end pieces oppositely from the-direction shown ends of the end piece there is an opening for in Figs. land-2.

A vertical divider 20. -1is carriedbythe three stretches l9 at 'the center" ofzrthe window: and is provided with a plurality. of spaced-holes 2 Leorresponding to'thezholesi 1'8 inithe end; pieces and through which the stretches'lQ. extend.

In the modification "shownizin: Fig; 3, the en pieces 25 are particularly adapted .for mounting on the faces of the; windowrside-trim. Each end piece. 25 is of generally-rectangular shape and is provided in. its face with. a .recess which leaves a reanwardly extending-swan 26 along one long edge ofithe .end piece; Elastic-receiving. openings '28 are formedim such wall -26,'-and. the elastic stretches 29 which extend between corresponding holes in the pair of end pieces have their ends secured within the recesses so that when the end pieces 25 are fastened against the face of the window side-trim such elastic ends will be concealed. Each end piece of Fig. 3, like those of Figs, 1 and 2, is provided with openings midway between the ends of the end piece and spaced from the wall 26, for the reception of a tack or push pin for mounting the end piece. The modification of Fig. 3, like that of Fig. 1, includes a divider carried by the stretches 29 at the center of the window. Preferably, the elastic stretches 29 are formed from a single length of material which extends first between a set of holes at the ends of the end pieces 25, then within the recess behind the wall 26 and between the set of holes 28 at the other ends of the end pieces, thence within the recess of the other end piece and between the center set of holes, The center set of holes in the end pieces,andthe center hole in the divider, may be in the form of notches open at the rear so that the center stretch 29 may be readily released and permitted to add its length to the other stretches 29. By this means, the device of Fig. 3 may be used for narrow windows with three stretches of elastic, but when it is desired to mount the guard on a window wider than the convenient elastic limit of the three stretches 29, the center stretch 29 can be readily released, to provide a guard of but two stretches 29. I Z

My window guard is of simple and inexpensive construction. Its two end pieces are identical, and may be molded from. synthetic plastic, may be stampedor cast from metal, or'may be made of wood. .The guard is conveniently and easily mounted by the use-of a single thumb tack or push pin-for .each endpiece. The elasticity of the stretches l9 and. 29 permit the device to adjust itself to windows of widely differing widths. In operation, the guard is found to be very effective to prevent the curtains on a window from blowing out that window when it is open. The device lies behind the curtains in a relatively inconspicuous position, and permits complete freedom of curtain arrangement, either hanging straight or draped, and allows the curtains to hang naturally in any such arrangement. When there is a'draft out the window, the guard prevents the curtains from being bowed out far enough to engage the screen and permits them to drop back to natural position when the wind dies down. In like manner, if there is no screen present, the guard prevents the curtains from being blown out the open window and from having their ends dragged across the window sill. The use of my guard keeps the curtains clean and greatly decreases wear on them.

' I claim as my invention:

1. A curtain guard adapted to be mounted on a window, comprising a pair of generally rectangular end-pieces having a plurality of spaced holes adjacent one long edge of each end-piece, means spaced from said edge for securing the end-piece to the side-trim of a window, rubberlike elastic material threaded through and connecting the corresponding holes in the two endpieces to form a plurality of stretches extending horizontally in spaced parallel relation between said two end-pieces, and a vertical divider having a correspondingly spaced plurality of holes through which said strands extend, said divider being adapted to be supported by said strands midway between the end-pieces.

2. A curtain guard adapted to be mounted on a window comprising a pair of generally rectangular end-pieces, each end-piece having a recess in its rear face adjacent one long edge thereof and leaving a rearwardly extending wall at such long edge, said wall leaving a plurality of spaced openings extending generally parallel to the front face of the end-piece, each end-piece also having an opening through its face at a point spaced from said edge for the reception of means for fastening the end-piece to theface of the window side-trim, rubber-like elastic material threaded through and connecting the corresponding holes in the two end pieces to form a plurality of stretches extending horizontally in spaced parallel relation between said two end-pieces, and a vertical divider having a correspondingly spaced plurality of holes through which said strands extend, said divider being adapted to be supported by said strands midway between the endpieces.

3. A curtain guard as defined in claim 2 with the addition that a plurality of stretches are formed of a single length of elastic, and at least one set of the corresponding openings through which such length is threaded are in the form of notches from which such length is readily removable to permit adjustment of the guard to a larger size.

4. A curtain guard as defined in claim 2 with the addition that each end-piece has three elastic-receiving holes, that three stretches of elastic are formed of a single length of material with the center stretch at one end of said length, and that the center openings in each end piece are in the form of notches from which the center stretch is readily removable.

5. A curtain guard adapted to be mounted on a window, comprising a pair of generally rectangular end-pieces, a plurality of spaced, parallel stretches of elastic extending between said end pieces, said stretches extending through openings in said end-pieces and having their ends received in recesses therein, and means for fastening said end-pieces against the trim of the window with their recessed faces thereagainst, whereby said stretch-ends are concealed, and a divider through which the stretches extend supported by the stretches midway between the endpieces.

6. A curtain guard as defined in claim 5 with the addition that each end-piece has three elas- P, RAY VASS. 

